Memories of the Gray Streak
by Lilypad18
Summary: A story about Annabeth explaining to her child why she and Percy both have gray streaks.


Annabeth glanced out of the kitchen window. She loved this time of day, right as the sun came up. The sun always sneakily peeked out from behind the tree and onto their kitchen table, making her drawings of buildings come to life. She had to look away from the beautiful view and back to her new building. She sighed and then continued to draw. It wasn't until a couple of footsteps later that she stopped.

"Mommy?" A quiet voice asked. She turned around and instantly smiled. There was her five year old Sophia, standing in her light blue pajamas with her stuffed owl tucked under her arm, a gift from her grandmother.

"What is it, Soph?" Annabeth asked softly, turning in the chair to face Sophia. Sophia came running over to her and climbed into her lap. _She's already growing so big, _Annabeth thought.

"I have a question." Sophia said, placing her sleeping companion on the white table.

"What is it?" Annabeth brushed a blonde curl out of her child's flushed cheeks. Sophia paused for a moment.

"Why do you and daddy both have a gray streak in your hair?" Sophia reached and tenderly pulled out the streak from Annabeth's messy ponytail. Annabeth sighed, painful memories flooding into her brain. She didn't know exactly how to explain it, the story is very complicated. She and Percy haven't told Sophia and Chase, their son, that the gods are real, so how could she explain Atlas and the Titans? She thought about it for a moment and then looked down at her daughter. She guessed that the day of explaining would have to be right now. At least she sounded like she wanted to know.

"Sophie, do you remember all of those stories daddy and I read to you at night? The stories about Zeus, Athena, Poseidon and such?" Sophia nodded, still looking up at Annabeth.

"Well," Annabeth said "They're real. Those gods and stories are true, not just myths." Sophia nodded, like she's known this ever since she was born. Annabeth hesitated.

"Wait, you believe me?" Annabeth asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Why wouldn't I?" Annabeth nodded this time, liking that answer.

"Right, so with gods come monsters. The gray str-" Annabeth couldn't finish before Sophia gasped.

"You mean a monster did that to you? I will find that monster and kill it!" Sophia crossed her arms and nodded once, pleased with her strong response. Annabeth couldn't resist the urge to laugh a little. Sophia slowly uncrossed her arms and tilted her head looking up at her chuckling mother.

"What?" Annabeth still laughed but shook her head.

"Nothing, Soph, nothing." Sophia furrowed her eyebrows.

"It was a monster who did that, right Mommy?" Annabeth sighed, meeting her daughters familiar gray eyes.

"Well, I guess you could say that. He did have very uncivilized characteristics, but he was a Titan, not a monster." Sophia nodded.

"What was his name?"

"Atlas." Annabeth spat his name with such hate, it surprised herself. Sophia scrunched her nose in disgust.

"He sounds like a big bully." Annabeth chuckled again, nodding.

"Yes, yes he was. He was a very big bully, especially when I was that age. But, ever since the children of Kronos, also known as the gods overthrew the Titans, Atlas's punishment was to hold the weight of the sky. And holding the sky can be a very stressful thing." Annabeth said. Sophia nodded, biting her lip which gave Annabeth the clue that she was deep in thought about the situation. Sophia then looked up at her mother, after her thought process ended of course.

"So, because you were stressed, you got this?" Sophia lightly touched the streak again. Annabeth smiled, knowing that her daughter truly understood.

"Yes, Soph." Sophia sighed.

"Then, how did daddy get one?"

"Daddy held the sky too," Annabeth's smile slowly fading as she remembers seeing the pain of sacrifice fill Percy's green eyes, "He...was so brave then, I don't know how he pulled off..." Annabeth shook her head, lost in memories of her hectic demigod teenage life. Sophia could sense that she was making Annabeth hurt with her question. Sophia gave Annabeth a hug.

"It's alright, Mommy. Daddy's okay and with us, that's all that matters." Annabeth nodded and hugged her small, but caring daughter back.

"Of course." Annabeth said. There was a couple seconds of silence and then another set of footsteps. Annabeth looked up to find her sleepy-looking husband, looking right back at her. He grinned and walked over to her, lightly kissing her cheek. Annabeth automatically smiled and Sophia looked up to see both of her mother and father smiling at each other. Even though that have had hurtful pasts, Sophia decided, at least one good thing came out of it: each other.


End file.
